In our series highlighting hospitals, we’re applauding medical institutions that are using innovative ways to take care of patients. Clinical research often takes a while to make a noticeable difference in people’s lives. But when it comes to female athletes, there’s a lot to discover about how their bodies evolve with age. This is a topic that captivates Emily Kraus, MD, a clinical assistant professor at Stanford Children’s Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center. Dr. Kraus leads Stanford’s Female Athlete Science and Translational Research program, called FASTR—a name she cleverly thought of while running.
FASTR is a significant part of a broader sports medicine research initiative reaching out to an international network of clinicians and researchers. Collaborating with the Female Athlete Program at Boston Children’s Hospital, FASTR centers on women in sports and looks at how they transition through different physical stages, from adolescence to menopause.
For Dr. Kraus, this subject is very personal. A dedicated runner, she has participated in at least nine marathons and one ultramarathon. She understands there are periods when the body is more prone to injuries. In her practice, Dr. Kraus often encounters female athletes who have been injured and many are unaware of the menstrual cycle’s impact on hormone balance or how missing a period can affect bone health.
Noticing these connections, she felt inspired to delve deeper. Driven by her passion for helping patients, she decided to conduct research. Today, FASTR runs its own studies on the health and performance of female athletes, sharing its findings widely so more people can benefit. The team simplifies the scientific data on the FASTR website and across social media to communicate effectively.
When it comes to sports science, people assigned female at birth are often underrepresented in research studies. There’s a scarcity of studies on the menstrual cycle or exercise physiology in female athletes because, as Dr. Kraus notes, it’s tough to standardize studies due to varying hormonal profiles. However, in the past five years, interest in studying female athletes has increased, leading to the funding of programs like FASTR.
To engage directly with female athletes, FASTR created five brief videos on topics like body image, self-compassion, and maintaining athleticism throughout life. These videos also address the Female Athlete Triad—the link between menstrual function, bone density, and energy from food intake—which influences bone mass and risk for fractures and osteoporosis. Each video includes scientific insights and stories from female professional athletes.
To measure the videos’ effectiveness, FASTR conducted a pilot study with female high school runners. The participants reported feeling more knowledgeable about their bodies and abilities after watching the videos. One student athlete appreciated how the information was made understandable even without a science background.
This was exactly what the FASTR team aimed for. They wanted athletes to feel relatable content and a connection that went beyond dry science. A follow-up study recruited more high school participants, splitting them into two groups. One watched the videos, and the other read written material on the same topics. Both groups showed a knowledge boost, but the videos had an extra impact not achieved with written content alone.
The videos have been popular with other audiences too. Dr. Kraus enjoys using them to educate her patients in sports medicine. She values FASTR’s unique blend of research and clinical practice, making immediate progress in both areas.
